THE 

Flat Hat Club 

AND THE 

Phi Beta Kappa Society 

EDITED BY 

George P. Coleman 




LJ*7,5 



L^L 



Class „ 

Book. 7 />* // / 

Copyright^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Cpntfna 21*eberle$> tucker Coleman J&emortal Series 

dumber <®ne 

THE 

Flat Hat Club 

AND THE 

Phi Beta Kappa Society 

Some New Light 
on their History 



EDITED BY 

GEORGE P. COLEMAN 



RICHMOND, VA.: 

Press of The Dietz Printing Co. 

1916 






COPYRIGHT igi6 

By George P. Coleman. 



m 



^5 



NOV 291916 



©CI, A 4 53069 

It $ | « 



THIS BOOK 

IS NtJMRE R /K. OF AN EDITION OF 

TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY COPIES, 

PRIVATELY PRINTED 

FOR 

GEORGE P. COLEMAN, 

OF 

Williamsburg, Virginia. 




FOREWORD. 

N going through the letters and 
manuscripts of St. George Tucker, 
which form part of the collection 
of his grand-daughter, Mrs. Cyn- 
thia B. T. Coleman, I came across 
a little memorandum book kept by him, when he 
was a student at William and Mary College. In 
this book I discovered the formal " testimony of 
friendship of the society," or, as it might be 
called, the certificate of membership in the so- 
ciety. In a second memorandum book I found 
a catalog of the books which the Reverend Mr. 
Gwatkin suggested should be purchased for the 
Club library. Later I found letters of Thomas 
Jefferson, and of Thomas McAuley, relative to 
the early history of the Phi Beta Kappa. It is 
with the hope that some additional light may be 
thrown upon the history of college fraternities in 
the United States, that I present this material in 

the present form. 

G. P. COLEMAN. 

Williamsburg, Va., 

October, iqi6. 



(Facsimile of Seal) 




Flat Hat Club 

Williamsburg Virginia 

(From photograph presented by Dr. L. G. Tyler) 



(Facsimile op Certificate) 

* ^ /• & c ***** I / ' 

Jn% ; &/L€sl tUtA^ fz^rff : ri&j^c- -di^pu>^^ .' /??e*4; 

Jerry* .- Cs*Z:j&4SijS?; £*££*. : &?& a^#-\ 0h4l*? : 



(Certificate of Fellowship.) 

Praeses Sociique de F(lat) H (at) Societate 

Nulla praeterire (or praetermittere) aventes quae 
hoc maxime spectent ut iuventus ediscat colcre 
virtutem ac invigorent studia, ut aliquando sit 
grande decus columenque rerum universarum 
et singularum (eis) quorum haec nosse intersit, 

Salutem Plurimam Dant. 

Ut merita praemia illis nunquam deesse vide- 
rentur, qui sese modeste ac sobrie (ut iuventu- 
tem decet) gessere, qui sese bene moratos, Dei 
observantes, ac doctos amicos praebuere, 

Roberto 2&aptor, 

iuveni probae indolis qui, licet nobis paucos per 
menses fratribus interfuit, se tamen omnibus 
honoribus dignum praestiterat, hoc testimonium 
nostrae societatis amicitiae tradimus. Ut felix 
faustumque sit, ac virtutem ipsam sibi pretiosam 
semper colere perstet, Deum ter optimum maxi- 
mum comprecamur. 

In testimonium fidei tabellarias hasce, com- 
mune societatis sigillum, et chyrographos nostros 
muniendos curavimus, apud 

Collegium Gulielmi et Marle, 

Anno Christi MDCCLXXI, Die vero Julii 
Mensis Octavo. 



(Translation of Certificate.) 

The President and Members of the 
F(lat) H(at) Society, 

Eagerly desiring to let nothing pass that may look to 
this (end) especially, Viz., that the youth may learn 
thoroughly to cultivate virtue, and that studies may grow 
strong, that eventually it (the youth) may be a great 
ornament and pillar of things general and particular, to 
those whose interest it may be to know these things, 
send heartiest greeting. In order that due rewards might 
not seem to be lacking to those who have borne them- 
selves modestly and soberly (as befitteth the youth) 
who have shown themselves well mannered, God-fear- 
ing, and cultured friends, to 

ftobert 2?aplor, 

a youth of upright character, who, though he has been 
among us his brothers only a few months, and yet has 
shown himself worthy of all honors, this testimony of 
the friendship of our society we deliver. That it may be 
happy and fortunate, and that he may continue ever to 
cultivate virtue herself precious to him, we beseech God, 
thrice good and great. 

In testimony of our good faith, these letters, the 
common seal of the society, and our hands, we have had 
set hereto, at 

The College of William and Mary, 
in the year of Christ 1771 , on this the eighth day of the 
month July. 

(Translation by Dr. W. A. Montgomery) 



Letters 



(Letter from Thomas Jefferson to John D. Taylor.) 

Sir : 

The honor of your letter of Jan. 30. is juft 
now received, and I wifh it were in my power to 
anfwer it's enquiries, but I am an entire ftranger 
to the P B K. fociety, it's hiftory and it's objects, 
it's exiftence is known to me by hear-fay only. 
The contrary fuppofition has probably been 
founded on an F. H. C. fociety which exifted at 
Wm & Mary college, when I was there, of which 
I was a member, that was confined to the Alumni 
of that inftitution. 

I do not know, Sir, whether I can yet con- 
gratulate you on the prospect of a reftoration of 
the right of felf-government to the transatlantic 
nations and on the confoling reflection that this 
is our work, it had for fome time a flattering 
appearance, but the Northern bears feem briftling 
up to maintain the empire of force, we may ftill 
however hope that the hofts on which they rely, 
may catch the diseafe they are employed to cure, 
and carry liberty to the North inftead of supres- 
fing it in the South, to my prayers for the at- 
tainment of that bleffing there & it's prefervation 
here, I add the tender to yourfelf of my high 
confederation and efteern. 

TH. JEFFERSON. 
Taylor John D. Sp. H. of R. Md. 



(Letter from Thomas McAuley to Thomas Jefferson. ) 



Union College ) 7 , , 
New York State \ '** Ma > l8 ' 9 

Most Excellent Sir 

The Brethren of the New York Alpha of 
the Phi Beta Kappa Society have directed me to 
requeft of Your Excellency the communication 
of any information you may be in poffeflion of, 
in relation to the Introduction of faid Society 
into this country, as it has been told to the So- 
ciety, that you firft brought the charter from 
Oxford or Elfewhere to William & Mary Col- 
lege in 1776 or thereabouts, as it is natural for 
the children to enquire into the pedigree &c of 
their parents we Truft Sir you will pardon the 
Liberty we take, in thus approaching their re- 
puted patron with the Language of enquiry — 
permit me to fay that there are now 4 Alphas, that 
of Mafs — Con — New Haven & New York — 

Connecticut has . . 627 members 

Mafs 489 

N. H 421 

N. Y 155 

1692 

We truft the Society has a very healthfull in- 
fluence on the minds of youth — and will be falu- 



tary to the community — We will thankfully re- 
ceive any communication on this subject — 

And while I am before you Sir permit me to 
enquire whether in your philofophic recreations 
you have obferved that Electricity paffed along a 
wire of one or more miles in length becomes a 
deep orange colour, is diminifhed in its apparent 
Volume, But Exceedingly increafed in its inten- 
fity and influence on the nervous fyftem? in my 
courfe of Experiment laft feafon I am fully fatis- 
fied of thefe facts, but am yet unable to account 
for them and would moft willingly be inftructed. 

I am Sir with the profoundeft refpect for 
your many public & private virtues & Elevated 
Standing in the republic of letters, 

Your very Humble 

Servant THOMAS McAULEY, 

Cor. Sec. of New York A. A 

His Excellency Thomas Jefferson — 



(Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Thomas McAuley.) 



Monticello June 14, ig. 

Sir: 

Your favor of May 19 has been received, 
but of the subject it respects I know nothing. I 
have heard of the Alpha Phi Beta and Kappa 
fociety, but never underftood either its location 
or object:. When I was a ftudent of Wm. & Mary 
college of this ftate there exifted a fociety called 
the F. H. C. fociety, confined to the number of 
fix ftudents only, of which I was a member, but 
it had no ufeful object, nor do I know whether 
it now exifts. Accept my falutations and affur- 
ances of refpect. 

TH. JEFFERSON. 

Mr. Thomas McAuley. 



Catalogue of Books Suggested for 
the F. H. C. 



The Following Catalogue of Books 
was made out by the reverend 
Mr. Gwatkin at the request of 
the Members of the F: H: C: as 
being the most useful and valu- 
able Books with which it would 
be proper to begin the establish- 
ment of a Library.— N: B. Those 
mark'd (2) in margin have been 
sent for. 



moral philosophy and civil law. 



FOLIO. 

Puffendorf on the Law of nature and nations with 
Barberac's notes. 

Hobbes Leviathian. 

QUARTO. 

2 Hutcheson's Elements &c of Mor: Phil: 2: v. 
2 Woolaston's Rel: of Nat: delineated. 



Taylor's Elements of Civil Law. 

Cumberland's Law of Nature with notes by Maxwell. 

Harris's Justinian. 

Vinnii Comment: in Instit: Imperiales. 

Nood's Comment: in Justin: Pandectas. 

Cujarii in Libros Elementares Iuris Justiniani. 

Le Droit de la Nature &c pr. Vattel. 

OCTAVO. 

2 King's Origin of Evil with Law's Notes. 

2 Doct : Samuel Clarke on the Attributes. 

Grotius de Jure Belli et Pads (2 Vols.) 

The whole controversy between Grove, Bays and 
Balguy concerning the Foundation of Morals, in 
one Vol. 

Butler's Sermons preach'd at the Rolls. 

Bever's Introduction to the Civil Law. 

Succincta Commentatio ad Institut. Justinianias, 
Happio Auctore. 

DUODECIMO. 
Puffendorf de Off: Horn: et Civis. 
Ld Kaim's Elem: of Moral Philosophy. 
2 Prices Review of Difficulties in Morals. 



MATHEMATICS, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY 
AND NATURAL HISTORY. 

Appollonii Pergaei Conica Cura Haliei. 
Halley's Tables. 
Gardner's Logarithms. 

QUARTO. 

Newton's Principia Com. per Le Seur et Jacquier. 
Emerson's Mechanics. 
Sectiones Conicae Roberto Simpson. 
Sectiones Conicae, Hugone Hamilton. 
Pemberton's View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy. 
Maclaurins Do. 

Geometria Organica Maclaurins. 
Newton's Optics. 
Newton's Opticae Lectiones. 
Smith's Optics (2 Vol.) 
Maclaurin's Fluxions. 
Franklin's Letters &c. 
Priestley's Hist: of Electricity. 
Priestley's Introduction to Do. 
Priestley's Hist: of Light and Colours. 
Gravesand's Experimental Philosophy. 
Ferguson's Lectures. 
2 Ferguson's Astronomy. 
Del'Cailles Astronomy. 
Gregory Do. 
Keils Do. 



OCTAVO. 

Euclids Elements by Simpson. 

Simpson's Algebra. 

Simpson's Trigonometry. 

Simpson's Essays. 

Simpson's Dissertations. 

Simpson's Tracts. 

Simpson's Annuities. 

Simpson's Laws of Chance. 

Simpson's Fluxions. 

De Moivres Laws of Chance. 

De Moivres Miscellanea Anylitica. 

Robin's Works (2 Vols.) 

Rowning's Nat: Philosophy. 

Pennant's British Zoology. 

Crakelt's Trigonometry. 

FOLIO. 

Catesby's Nat: Hist: of Virginia. 
Petiver's Works on Nat: History. 
Blairs Geography and Maps. 

QUARTO. 

Buffons Historie Naturelle. 

Op: Math: Hygenii (4 Vol.) 

All D'Alembert's mathematical works in French. 

Histoire des insects, pr. Geoffroy. 

Elements d 'Architecture Navale par Duhamel. 



La physique des Arbres de PExploitation des Bois. 

Chymical Dictionary. 

Elements de Chymie par M'acquer. 

Lectures on Chymistry by Pemberton. 

Pennants Synopsis. 

OCTAVO. 

2 Varenius's Geography by Irwin. 
Homes's Principles of Vegetation. 
Elements d'Agriculture par Duhamel. 
Cotes's Hydrostatical Lectures. 
Hale's Vegetable Statics. 
Weston's Introduction to Botany. 
Milnes' Institutes of Botany. 



HISTORY. 

FOLIO. 

2 Carters History of England. 

2 Ld Clarendon's History of Y e Civil Wars. 

Whitlocks Memoirs. 

Burnets Hist: of the Reformation. 

Father Pauls Hist: of the Council of Trent. 

Mariana's Hist: of Spain. 

2 Northern Anti: transl: from Mallet's Introd: to the 
Hist: of Denmark. 

QUARTO. 

Humes Hist: of England. 

Mrs. Macauley's Hist of England. 

Dalrymples Memoirs. 
2 Robertson's Hist: of Scotland. 
2 Robertson's Charles 5th. 

Walpoles Historic Doubts. 

Middleton's Life of Cicero. 

Mosheims Ecclesiastical History. 

OCTAVO. 

Vertot's Revolutions. 

Henault's Histoire de France. 

All y: e Abridg: done in the manner of Henault. 

Voltaire's Histoire Universelle. 

Ld Littleton's Hist: of Henry 2d. 



GOVERNMENT. 

Locke on Government. 
Sidney on Do. 
Milton's Political Works. 
Esprit de Loix. 



TRADE. 



Postlethwait's Dict.y of Commce. 
Child and Davenant's Works on Trade. 
Great Britain's true commercial interest. 
Sir Jas. Stewart's Pol. Economy. 
Locke on altering the Coin. 



MISCELLANEOUS WORKS. 



QUARTO. 

Walpole's Acct. of the Painters Ct. in England. 
Lord Bolingbroke's Works. 
Arbuthnots Tables of Coins. 

OCTAVO. 

Milton 
Shakespeare 

Spenser ) Best Edits. 

Gray 
Mason 
Hurd's Works. 

Waller's Works and Life, Editn. printed for Davies 
Cov. Garden. 



Webb on Paintg. 

Lord Kaim's El. of criticism. 

Thomson's Works. 

Shenstone's Do. 

Harris's Hermes. 

Locke's Essays on the Hum. Undrg. 

Bishop Berkeley's Phil. Works. 

Hume's Essays. 

Sir Will Temple's Works. 

Entretiens Sur Vies de peintures par Felibien. 

Sterne's Works. 

Melanges par M. D'Alembert. 

Rousseau's Works. 

Hart's Essays on Husbandry. 

Richardson & Fielding's Novels. 



LIBRARY OF ^OTEgg 

019 314 063 I 



